


Asking for a Lifeline Here

by ariesspicy



Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 05:05:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8877145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariesspicy/pseuds/ariesspicy
Summary: Umi feels estranged from Cephiro. Hikaru and Fuu make regular visits, but Umi is too caught up in her first semester of college.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mementomoe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mementomoe/gifts).



> Author's Note/Disclaimer:  
> I've only read the book, so this is based on the manga. ^^  
> In the end of the story, they don't call the world "Cephiro" anymore, but since I never wrote in my book what the new name should be, I don't know what to call it ^^;;  
> So... in this story I stuck with the name Cephiro.
> 
> Dear Requester, thank you so much for the request and ideas. Please enjoy and Happy Yuletide~ ^_^

It was late at night, and Umi was studying for her last final exam. A sudden thought stopped her in her tracks.

"When was the last time I went to Cephiro? I think it was August. During summer break. Yes, it was Hikaru’s birthday and I’d made a strawberry tiramisu cake." she thought.

Umi leaned away from her desk and looked at the clock on her bedside table. 11:40.

"Ugh. I should go to bed. Only one more day of exams and then it’s winter break. Why did we decide to stay at Earth most of the time? In Cephiro I wouldn’t have to worry about exams or grades or whatever!" she muttered aloud.

Fuu had insisted they continued their studies in case of “back up”. They can’t exactly tell their families about Cephiro and expect them to understand.

"She once said maybe there would come a time that we could stay in Cephiro forever…"

In high school, Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi would go to Cephiro almost every Sunday barring any extra studying. But now in college, their schedules have become much more erratic.

Hikaru is studying biology and working towards becoming a dog trainer. Fuu is studying computer science and already has multiple gaming companies sending her job offers.

Umi is studying English, but thinking about going to a baking school. That might mean studying abroad in Europe. Far away from Tokyo Tower, their link to entering Cephiro.

Umi flipped her phone over and turned back on her notifications. She saw that Fuu liked her most recent post on Instagram. A gingerbread cake with fondant. She thought about sending Fuu a message on Line. It had been awhile since they had last messaged. Hikaru couldn’t keep up with messaging well. She did post pictures of her dogs from time to time however.

Hikaru and Fuu have gone to Cephiro on the regular since August. Compared to Umi’s grand total of zero. “It was the first college semester, I was swept up in work”, Umi told others and herself, but that wasn’t entirely true.

“Ack! This is too depressing! I’m going to bed and talking to Fuu in the morning” she said aloud.

She almost thew down her pencil angrily, but instead gently tidied up a few things on her desk.

—  
In the morning, Umi didn’t have much time and ate her breakfast quickly. She almost overslept. She hadn’t dreamt about Cephiro for a long time. It seemed like Celes was scolding her.

After her final exam, the class was released with great sighs of relief. Umi strolled outside in the cold air, grinning and swinging her school bag. The ground was not yet frozen and the sky was almost clear today. The trees were long bare and the wind was calm. She walked around the school park, trying to shake out the last of the English grammar she had memorized.

Umi stopped as she spotted a familiar figure on the bench a few meters away. “Fuu!”, she approached. Then walked a little slower, a little hesitant.

Fuu smiled and stood up, beaming at Umi. She wore the color scheme Umi always imagined when she thought about Fuu- all greens.

“What’re you doing here?” Umi asked, a little ashamed at the shyness in her voice. 

“Hikaru and I are going to Cephiro tomorrow, do you want to come?” Fuu asked.

“I-yes. I do.”, Umi said with all honesty. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you and Hikaru. I meant to message you…”.

Fuu smiled.

“It’s ok. We know you’ve been going through a lot with starting college.”

“But we all have, really!” Umi sighed.

Fuu took Umi’s hand.

“Let’s meet at 12pm Tokyo Tower, ok?”

“Yeah”, Umi nodded, smiling.

—  
That night, Umi’s dreams were intense and thorough. Dreams of the people of Cephiro. Dreams of when the three of them arrived in Cephiro. Dreams of the battles.

What were the Magic Knights to the people of Cephiro? Especially now. Do they even have a right to visit Cephiro? The Magic Knights’ purpose had been fulfilled long ago at this point. The first purpose- Princess Emeraude, the Pillar... The second purpose- one they created themselves: save Cephiro and eliminate the Pillar system. Return to their own world. It’s ok to visit Cephiro, right? Or has their story already extended its limits?

Last time Umi went to Cephiro, much had been resolved. Eagle and his crew returned to their country with the cure for the country’s air pollution. After spending a few years in Cephiro, Eagle had recovered by power of will, and also the power of will had enabled him to find what he desired most in his heart- the cure for his homeland. The other countries’ visits became fewer and far between. Fahren had internal matters to attend to in its own country. Tarta and Tatra sometimes showed up for festivities, but there was much to do in ruling their own country as well. Lantis spent much time in Autozam helping to institute their new environmental technology.

Most others lived happily on their own as well. Clef and Presea spent most time on their own, but also educating the Cephiro people on magic. It’s been awhile since she thought about Ascot. With his kind friends…

And Celes. What are you trying to say?

—  
The next morning, Umi thought much about these dreams. At the same time, she whipped up a castella cake to bring for her friends.

She put on one of her favorite dresses- dark marine blue with metallic brocade trim and clasps down the front. As she remembered, Cephiro stayed quite temperate year round, so she forwent the winter boots. She pulled on an ivory parka.

—  
At 11:50, Umi couldn’t help but feel a little fidgety waiting around for Fuu and Hikaru to arrive. It was a Wednesday and the crowd was one of the sparsest she’s seen at Tokyo Tower.

At last, she saw Hikaru and Fuu appear together. With all three of them having a preference for bright colors, they were fairly easy to spot in a crowd.

Hikaru spotted Umi very quickly. She waved and practically bounced over, Fuu in tow.

Hikaru with a big fuzzy red scarf that threatened to overtake her head. Maybe one of her brothers knitted it for her to stay warm. Umi almost chuckled. Fuu had ribbons in her hair.

“You guys, it’s been forever!”, Hikaru smushed them into a three-way hug. Umi laughed and Fuu giggled.

“Sorry I made us late, Shiro’s handful right now”, Hikaru said. “He’s our new puppy”, she beamed.

Umi couldn’t resist patting her on the head.

“Let me come by your place sometime soon, I wanna meet him.”

“Yup” Hikaru nodded, white dog hairs floating off her scarf.

“Actually, I want to say I’m really sorry. It’s my fault it’s been so long”, said Umi, pulling back with a small sigh.

“Hey now, there won’t be any of that, ok?” said Fuu. “You’ll start sounding like Hikaru, always so serious”, she poked Hikaru in the side gently.

“Oof! Hey!” Hikaru was bouncing again.

“Ok let’s do this”, Umi said, pumping her fist.

—  
The familiar blinding light closed in on them as they clasped each other’s hands.

The three of them had quickly learned that with some focused effort, they were able to appear wherever they wanted to in Cephiro, instead of falling through the sky every time. Though sometimes they still did- it made Fyula overjoyed after all.

This time, Hikaru and Fuu suggested they arrive inside the castle, a usual spot.

The light vanished and the warmer air of Cephiro rushed around them. It smelled like someone was cooking.

They were in a hallway in the castle. Umi’s heart thumped at seeing the familiar site.

Presea’s head and her big ponytail popped out of one of the doorways. “Oh you’ve made it”, she grinned.

Hikaru skipped over and hugged her first, followed by Umi and Fuu.

“Picnic’s almost ready, we’ve got great weather today” she said. She helped them with their winter coats.

“Must be the will of the people”, Guru Clef said, appearing from the kitchen.

They carried many dishes outside, and it looked like a feast. Ferio and Ascot greeted them and spoke as if it had only been yesterday that Umi and the others had last visited. Of course, Umi thought, time moves so much differently here.

There was more to bring out, so Umi went off inside to help.

—  
From what she could see, the palace was just as she had remembered. The same, even visiting it in her dreams. The white high walls and ceilings. Decorated with flowers, always in bloom. Curtains of rich purple and red shades framing the windows. Plush carpets all over the floors.

Umi walked to the room she shared with Hikaru and Fuu when they stayed in Cephiro. The beds were neatly made. Beautiful, silky clothes and robes hung in the closet. She walked over to the bed. She ran her hand along the fluffy top blankets then sat down. Hikaru peeked in.

“Umi, are you ok?” she asked with concern.

Umi tried her best to put on a smile. “Just a little… I don’t know”.

Hikaru joined her on the bed.

“Thinking about a lot. Why we’re here. Is it ok that we’re here? Do we even belong here?”

Hikaru’s big dark eyebrows knitted in concern. Her eyes were a soft reddish brown.

“All our friends here always welcome us… so I think it’s ok”.

Umi and Hikaru looked up to see Fuu at the doorway.

“Hey”, she said gently and sat next to Umi.

“Fuu, is it ok that we’re here? I can’t help but think that there’s nothing else we need to do. That we’re just in the way.”

There was a pause as Fuu collected her thoughts.

“There’s something I’ve come to realize.” said Fuu. “It’s something that I’ve talked with the Guru about. He said to me: your lives on Earth are short. But lives on Cephiro are limitless. Live out your lives on Earth well. You know, to them even 10 years is the blink of an eye, right?

Hikaru nodded and Umi looked at her hands.

“He said: return here whenever you desire. We’ll be here a long time. And if the time comes that you want to stay here, then stay. And you can always stay as long as you like.”

“But what about the people here? Are we even allowed to do this, is it ok?”

“Umi, we saved these people and their world. They welcome us at any time. We even helped save Autozam. Whether here or on Earth, our will determines our future.” She smiled.

“Yeah, ok. As long as we’re not in their way then.” Umi blushed a little.

“I should’ve talked with you two sooner.” Umi tilted her head down and frowned a little.

“Honestly, we’ve felt the same at times too.” Fuu said.

“So, whether it’s day or years, we’ll always be here for you, Umi. There’s nothing we can’t do together!” Hikaru said.

“I mean, we saved a world, y’know?”, Fuu added.

“You mean, we’ll always be here for each other too, right?” Umi said as she grabbed the others by the shoulders. “Anyway, thanks you guys. You helped me bust out of my funk.” She jumped off the bed.

“You’ve gotta try this cake, It’s a new recipe I made myself!”

“Yeah, let’s go get some lunch.” said Fuu.

Umi smiled as they raced outside. And Umi saw in her mind, it was as if Celes smiled too, deep in the ocean.


End file.
